


This Is Not a Kissing Story (except maybe a little)

by daily_nightly



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, As you wish, Badass Rey, Clever, Creepy Snoke (Star Wars), Dark Fairy Tale Elements, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Retellings, Gen, I'm Sorry, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylo Ren is Rumplestiltkin, OR CAN SHE?, Protective Kylo Ren, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey can save herself, Sarcasm, Snoke Being a Dick, Sorry Not Sorry, how many stories can I ruin at once?, kissing story, why are fairytales so creepy?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 05:11:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20595254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daily_nightly/pseuds/daily_nightly
Summary: In a world that is just like ours and also nothing like you've ever seen, there was a girl who was the best of the least and of nothing notable except to those who were blind and couldn't hear. She was a flower in the rain forest, a starfish of the ocean. The warmth of the sun in the heat of summer and a snowflake in the middle of a blizzard. If you've seen her once, you've seen her a thousand times.Then all at once, she was the only one that ever existed in the entirety of everything.When a young woman grows of age, she attracts some unwanted attention that gets her into some trouble. She seems hopeless and abandoned, except to her own devices, when help arises from the most unlikely of places. But it comes with a catch. All good things come at a cost, but some circumstances make the risk outweigh the penalty.A Reylo AU fairytale?





	1. Chapter 1

Not that long ago, on a planet in some relevant galaxy there lived a being that existed much like most beings that exist existed. 

Her name was Rey. And although it was quaint to say it was because she resembled a beam of light, or because she brought sunshine and smiles wherever she went, the truth was that was just her name. The only one she had and she really had never thought about changing it, because it was just a name. 

Rey lived in a junkyard and worked trading in scrap for sustenance. It was what she had always done and what everyone around her has always done, so it was what it was. Until it wasn't.

Rey had never been of anything of note- she was a scrawny girl, with washed out brown hair, and freckles...way too many freckles.

As the years passed, Rey learned all the things she needed to know about life from the stalls of the junkyard where the old women sat and made their way by cleaning for scrapers who didn't want to clean their scrap themselves. They had warned her that some day she would change, and the attention of everyone around her would begin to notice the things she should keep hidden. But Rey didn't listen. She didn't think anyone would every notice her for any reason. Little did she know that some day would come indeed. 

One day it happened. It most probably happened gradually, as it does for most, but for Rey it felt as if all at once she woke up and was a different person. She was taller and leaner, rather than scrawny. Her hair had a nice shine that made it flow with the wind. She developed lumps about her body that most referred to as comely on a woman. And that was when Rey realized that it had happened, just as the old hags had warned.

Rey was a woman. 

The most bizarre was her freckles. They glowed. Illuminating her whole being and indeed there was no hiding it. 

Rey tried to continue about her work as she had always done, but alas all attention turned to her wherever she went. 

She thought it would pass, staying away from crowds and warding off pursuers, but it only seemed to get worse. Worse still her glow seemed to grow with the attention. 

After many failed attempts to get back to her work only to end up running and hiding, she grew hungry, desperate and feral. Those chasing her glow came to find her, take her as their own, to claim her glow, but fed up with the charade of natural order and base instincts, Rey defended herself with her own glow. A burst of energy unlike anything known to their own little world blasted from Rey, slaying many of the closest pursuers, as well as injury several more. The blast was so catastrophic that it sent ripples far beyond and was felt all around the world. And all the world quaked with fear in response. 

From that day on, all stayed away from Rey. Her reputation of being hostile and deadly grew, and Rey was happy. For a while. But then she was alone. Always. And her glow started to fade. She felt weak, even though she was providing for herself more than she ever had. Rey didn't understand what was happening and she had no one to ask for answers.

Some time later, as Rey barely held on to her life force, something new arrived. 

He called himself the Supreme Leader, but that meant nothing to those of this land that wanted nothing to do with ownership or rulers. They all dazed at his great show of power and control, they cowered from him, offering up garbage as homage to appease his seemingly impossible demands. 

The Supreme Leader demanded a sacrifice of pure power, golden tribute to his own glory. 

The people who had nothing of worth and could not come up with anything of value, until one broken soul remembered the once glowing woman that had blazed dangerous power. 

Rey.

They found her and brought her before the Supreme Leader. 

Had Rey been of right mind, she would have fought and resisted, but she was empty and lost. And the great being before her surged of power. She could feel it in her bones, and even felt her own glow flicker in response. Perhaps this was the hope she has been waiting for, perhaps this hideous creature that has overtaken their home will be the one to bring peace to her life. Rey was willing to find out and ultimately in no place to barter else wise. 

The Supreme Leader immediately recognized the glow of the young woman and hungered for her power, no matter what state she was presently in, so he took her. 

Once in the kingdom of the Supreme Leader, he set about bringing back the glow of this otherwise useless life.

Not many would know what they were looking at in this young woman, but the Supreme Leader was of the worst sort, who preserved his life only at the sacrifice of others.

So he put the woman in a room and demanded that she produce a golden radiance or else she will die.

With the little hope Rey had in being taken by a being of power, her glow quickly receded again after that mere flicker in the face of this dire ultimatum.

She did not know how she glowed, it just was.

She did not know what made her power, it has just happened.

Rey thought to just sit and cry, but she wasn't the type. This sort of desperation was for those who had lived in comfort and lost it. Rey had never known comfort, she had only ever known survival and loss.

So she decided to go with what she knew. 

Rey did not want to die. 

Rey sat in the small room, filled with some straw for a bed and small window at the top, that she couldn't even see anything but dark sky in. She breathed deeply and thought about not dying. 

That had been her only thought before, right? When those people were coming for her glow and she was so tired and ready to just live her life. She wanted to live! 

After several hours, nothing. Not even one single sparkle. 

So she sat for longer, and thought harder. 

Slowly tears leaked out her eyes in concentration and frustration. 

"Come On!" 

She shouted in anger, as if the hollow room could offer some assistance. 

Rey gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, putting all her efforts, but her concentration was suddenly thoroughly shattered at the sound of a low rumble that gradually grew into laughter.

Rey's eyes flew open, she frantically searched the room but was only met with darkness. 

"Who's there?!" 

She demanded of the darkness. 

There was silence.

Had she imagined it? Surely there had been a noise. Did she make the noise?

Rey was so confused and thought perhaps she had thought herself into delirious, but then she heard it again. A low rolling laugh, it sounded so like thunder it could have easily been mistake if there had not been a complete absence of all other sound. 

Rey took a deep breath, calming her nerves, and speaking again,

"I am not afraid. Show yourself."

An image emerged from the shadows, as if of the darkness itself. 

Rey's breath caught in her through as the image of a man... a very large, dark and ominous man stepped from the depths of her room. 

His face was emotionless and could have been a carved stone for all it's stateliness. It was beautiful in it's own way, as Rey had come to appreciate beauty in everything. There was no other color except for his face, the rest was sea of black that she couldn't decipher if it was real or a mirage. Perhaps she really was delirious and this is end come to take her to the great beyond. 

Just as that thought left her mind, a slow smirk twisted up one corner of the mans mouth. 

"No...I am not your death...but I'm sure we could make arrangements if that is what you wish..."

The velvety richness of his voice did something disturbing to Rey, but the content of his words caused her even more pause. 

"Who are you?"

Rey tried not to sound timid, she has at least managed to keep her voice from quivering even if the volume lacked confidence. 

The man's face resumed it's neutral expression at her question and she almost thought he wouldn't answer her, but then he stepped closer until his dark lock of hair nearly touched her face, and spoke quietly, but with most conviction,  
  
"I have been known by many names, most of which the likes of you could never understand. So to keep this simple, you shall call me... Kylo Ren."

Rey gasped at his name. She knew this name. Or at the least of it she had heard tales of the ferocious beast that was Kylo Ren. He was a destroyer of worlds, a priest of the dark arts, only knight to death itself. She thought he was just a story used to keep littles in bed or finish their meals. The threat of the elders to rambunctious youths. He was the rumor that kept peace amongst thieves lest death send it's judgment upon them. He was the storm upon the sand, the ruler of the tide. This couldn't be real. He isn't real.

His lips turned ever so slightly again.  
  
"So, you know my name?"

Rey didn't know if what was happening was real, but she felt the tremor up her spine, the cold beneath her body, the dampness in her palms, and the breath in her lungs. It was as real as she could understand it to be.

At the lift of one of Kylo Ren's eyebrow and slight incline of his head, Rey realized he was waiting for her to actually respond. 

She took in one staggering breath and released it to whisper out her answer,

"Yes."

Rey didn't know what to do or anything else to say. Could this being help her? Should she ask for such a thing from such a being? Rey wasn't sure she had many options and being that he had already said he wasn't there to hurt her, she might as well try to see if he could help her. Rey took another deep breath, closing her eyes, ready to ask this mercenary of the undertaker so giver her assistance, when the door to her room slammed open. Rey quickly stood and turned to face the Supreme Leader. 

He stepped into the room and looked her over, his eyes grossly lingering over certain parts. She struggled not to fidget and cover herself. Once his eyes met her again, he gave her this look with his tight disfigured face and twisted lips, 

"Well, well, well...some one is learning...I will come back tomorrow and your glow better be brighter or you'll die!" 

And just as quickly as he came, he left, locking the door tight behind him. 

Rey stared for a moment, confused at all that had just taken place. Slowly she turned her gaze downward and sure enough she was met by a soft glimmer radiating from her body. She took a shuddering breath; relief, confusion and fear making a toxic mix in her head. Then she remembered Kylo Ren. She turned quickly, looking about the same quarters but was met with nothing but darkness and solitude.

Had he done it? Had she done it? Was it something else? 

Rey wasn't sure.

And perhaps, considering the next ultimatum, she should have been more concerned, but all at once she was overcome with exhaustion and fell to the bed, fast asleep. 


	2. Chapter 2

There was an old legend, no really knows where it came from, or what form of it was true, but the tales were often told to children, and laughed at by adults.

All the same, the story goes that once a long time ago, when the development of the galaxies were in their prime, the stars took notice of the vast creatures below. So enchanted were the stars by the things on the planets they surrounded that they used their impressive powers to transform their existence into the form of their choosing. Although the stars took a common place image they retained their powers and, of course, could not always contain their glow. There was even tales of these stars working together to protect their beloved creatures, but it is also said that creatures soon feared the star-beings because of their differences and they were cast away from the places they had sacrificed everything for.

Even harder to believe were the stories of the battle of the stars- that they were good and bad...or rather light and dark stars, who fought for control and lead empires among the planets. Light always rose up to defend peace and liberty, while the dark sought corruption and destruction. But many found the concept of stars among us hard enough to believe, let alone them having an agenda, so they were all just stories. 

Rey had loved these stories as a child, loved the idea of the stars watching out for her and would wish for one to come help her. When she first started to glow, Rey thought she must be a star why else would she glow and attract so much attention, but her dreams were quickly squashed by the local women telling her sometimes people glowed because of the toxins in the water and it should be more of a concern if it didn't fade.

That was before the incident. There was no explaining of that, there was only fear, even for Rey.

Through the various hardships, Rey learned to let go of childish hopes and dreams. There were no stars that cared about her, and she was all alone. 

She was alone in the darkness and had accepted that it was just what it was, nothing to be afraid or to fight against. 

But then the darkness changed.

It felt close and tight. It felt hot and cold. It was a breath across her face, it was pressure in her mind, it was a presence she couldn't escape.

It suddenly was all too much and Rey couldn't get away.

Rey twisted, as if one could simple turn away from darkness. Then she pushed away, as if darkness had some sort of physical presence to defend from. She thrashed some more in a seemingly futile attempt to relieve herself from this suffocating embrace, only to find herself suddenly met by cold, damp stone beneath her body.

Rey bolted up right, wide awake finally and looked about her dim quarters.

She blinked away the fear as she took in the scarce room. 

Right. 

Rey was in some distant kingdom, taken by some powerful creature that demanded she glow...or die.

Then Rey remembered Kylo Ren.

She took restock of the room, as if that could assure her he wasn't there, but a part of her questioned if he had been around, contributing to her odd dream.

Then she giggled to herself at the thought, _Master Knight Kylo Ren, fiend of the darkness, spends spare time giving bad dreams..._

Rey took a deep breath and dismissed the thought.

It was just a dream.

Even if she could believe her memory of yesterday, she is certain "Kylo Ren" isn't some nightmare fairy. 

Rey stood and stretched, looking down at her hay bed- wasn't the worst thing she's ever slept on- and despite the weird dream, Rey felt remarkably rested...but hungry.

Just a moment later, the door to her room slowly opened and a young man brought in a tray of food. 

Rey took a step back when he entered, not really sure what the people who served this Supreme Leader were like, but then she was pleasantly surprised.

The young man took notice of her wary looks and although he was extremely focused on setting the food down so as to not spill anything on it, which was a feat in a stone room with no furniture, he looked up at her with an open and sincere look.

She gave a small smile of gratitude, his smile beamed back at her.

Rey took a small step forward to see what he had brought. Small bowl of porridge with a few berries on top and a glass of water. It was the most beautiful meal she had ever seen. 

The young man watched her for a moment and must have been confused by her expression because he suddenly offered, 

"It's better than it looks... and it's warm...so...that's something...being this place..."

Rey looked the young man over again and decided he wasn't a threat, so she stepped over to the tray of food and sat to eat, without saying a word.

Rey was used to instant meals that you ate with your hands, they were often some sort of bar or roll that had an indistinguishable taste and was fortified with supposedly everything one needed to survive. They felt more like a cardboard choking hazard meant to keep one regular, if you know what I mean. So she was kind of out of her depth here with a bowl of some sort of mush that was warm to the touch and smelled delightful. 

Again, the young man took notice of Rey's obvious confusion, he sat down across from her and picked the spoon off the tray. 

"You eat it with this...like this..."

He dipped the spoon into the bowl, scooping up some mush, then holding it out in front of her.

Rey looked between the bowl and the spoon, understanding the mechanics of it, but the spoon seemed like a very unhelpful device for her preferred method of eating as quickly as possible. But then again, the young man was being nice, so she leaned forward and taking the spoon into her to mouth to taste this new food.

She immediately spit it out and shrieked, 

"HOT!"

The poor young man looked apologetic and grabbed a small cloth from the tray to clean up the mess she just made. 

Rey felt bad about the mess and wasting food and words rushed out before she could stop them, 

"I'm sorry! It was just...surprising... this is all new to me...I can clean it up..."

The young man stopped and stared at her, as if he had never heard someone speak before, then he smiled again, the friendliest thing she had ever seen, and said,

"S'alright."

He returned to cleaning, finishing quickly because it was only a spoonful. He then returned to his spot sitting across from her and held out the spoon- handle facing her and she was 65% certain she could handle it- with that same brilliant smile. 

Rey took the spoon hesitantly, while still watching the young man. 

"Helps if you blow on it a little."

Rey nodded, but not taking her eyes from him.

"Who are you?"

The young man looked shocked, eyes brows shooting up his forehead, then tried to recover quickly and seem natural if not aloof in response,

"Me? well...uh...you might like to know...that I'm... (lowers voice to a whisper) with the Resistence..."

Rey had leaned closer as he spoke, and they both leaned away at his reveal.

Rey didn't know what to make of that, so she tried to cooly comment,

"Is that so? I've never seen a member of the Resistence before..."

The young man nodded his affirmation and then puffed his chest a bit before responding,

(Clearing throat) "Well... this what they look like... you should join!"

"Oh!"

Rey couldn't help the turn at the corner of her mouth and thought she heard a soft chuckle from somewhere in the room, but it must have just been an echo.

The young man persisted,

"This place is horrible! You don't want stay here, under Lord Snoke! He's up to all sorts of darkness! He must be stopped!"

Rey nodded alowly, taking in what he was saying,

"And you have a plan how to stop him?"

The young man faltered a bit at this question,

"Well...um...yes! But...like me, personally...um...no. But seriously! You don't want to stay here!"

Rey smiled kindly. She didn't really understand what the "Resistence" was or what the goal would be in getting away because everywhere seemed terrible to Rey, but she liked this young man.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Finn. I can help you...um...??"

"Rey."

"Rey...I like that. Matches your glow- how do you do that anyway?"

Rey looked down at herself in surprise to Finn's comment and sure enough her glow had gotten stronger. She turned back to Finn with a shrug,

"I don't know...but I think..."

Rey didn't get to complete her thought before the door swung open again. This time it was Snoke with a whole team of soldiers. Finn jumped up immediately, snatching the tray and made himself scarce. Rey didn't blame, but she had barely eaten and was sad to her new friend and food go.

The entire entourage glared as Finn passed but Snoke only gazed at Rey.

"Yes...yes...that's it my child...glow!"

Snoke stepped close to Rey. Too close. But she found herself unable to move away from him.

He lifted a single crusty old finger and ran it down the side of her face, his eyes raking over her body as if looking at things unseen by the human eye. It made Rey shudder and recoil inside. The little food she had eaten would make a too soon reappearance if Snoke didn't keep his grubby hands to himself.

Then he chuckled. Like psychopaths do.

And Rey trembled just a bit, but wouldn't give the ancient creature more than necessary. 

"Resistence is useless little one..."

The old man crooned in her ear, his breath dusting across her face causing a single strand of hair to wisp into her eyes.

Rey shook her head slightly to get the hair out her eyes and then stared Snoke down. 

She would not be afraid. She could glow and for some reason, knowing it was getting brighter gave her some sense of confindence she could defend herself...some how...with her glow...

Snoke rumbled a laugh again as if hearing her nonsensical bravado, but Rey tried not to falter. She kept her stance firm and gaze fixed.

"Yes...your spirit will serve me well...keep it up....or else..."

His gaze swept down her body once more. Rey thought she heard a growl come from her right shoulder, but then everyone left in such a commotion and there was nothing but silence so quickly, it left Rey in a state of sound whiplash. 

What just happened?

Rey shrugged off the experience and returned to her bed. Having nothing else to do, she nestled in and hoped she would see Finn again.

And in her deepest thoughts, she hoped maybe she would see Kylo Ren again too, assuming that experience was real.


	3. Chapter 3

Some time later Rey was awoken by a little creature fluttering about her room. 

It was a bird-like creature with white and orange feathers with something caught about it's wing preventing it from flying properly. It flapped about frantically attempting to get out the little window, but only accomplished making a rucus in the small room. 

With quite a bit of effort, Rey caught the little thing. Once the little birdling was calmed it was much more capable of communicating and Rey found herself able to understand.

*"Urgent message! I must away!"*

the little thing chirped, as Rey worked to get the string off it's wing.

"Who's the message for? Maybe I can help you! "

Rey offered, not wanting to see another new friend leave so quickly. 

*"Secret! Urgent! Away!"*

Rey gave a huff of a laugh at the little birdling. He was not the most polite creature to talk with, but not unpleasant!

"Secret, huh? I know all about that..."

The little birdling paused its rustling to turm and look at Rey. She had the oddest feeling of connection with this little creature. She had to let it go- it was important! No one should be held against their will, even in friendly circumstances. 

Once she got the little creature properly settled with his message tied back into place on his foot, she lifted him as high as she could toward her window, which afterwards she realized was unnecessary beause he had wings, but all the same she was happy to let him go to continue you his secret mission. She wondered if maybe it had to do with Finn's Resistence...but perhaps not.

Rey stared at her little window, trying to see anything other than sky uselessly.

It was amidst her tiring distraction she heard a familiar rumbling laugh about the room.

Rey turned quickly, scanning the room for Kylo Ren but saw nothing.

Rey was rested. She had a eaten a little and the made some new friends. Rey was ready to face some demons.

Without much thought, Rey followed her instincts stepping to the middle of the room, squaring her stance and clearing her throat, she called out,

"Amidst the darkness that surrounds,

there is light above...and light within.

If you're near, heed my sounds,

I call you forth,

so show yourself."

As Rey said the last line, the room seemed to shudder and quake. She stared forward not knowing what to expect but trusting she was ready.

There was a sound of rushing wind and crashing waves, the smell of early dawn and dew of day. 

The darkness became kaleidoscopic amd consuming and then there was nothing.

And from this nothing stepped Kylo Ren.

They stared at one another for few heartbeats.

Kylo Ren had an readable expression and Rey found herself just stunned at what she has accomplished- she summoned him!

Kylo's cheek twitched and he took a deep breath,

"Well...you...summoned..."

He stared at her expectantly but Rey was really at a loss. She did it- how did she do it? Why did she do it? What did she want with him? She really should have thought this out beforehand but she was relying on instincts and now she was here!

A low rumble came from the man and Rey snapped a suspiscious glare at him and suddenly she found her thoughts,

"You've been watching me. What do you want?"

Kylo seemed unphased by her accusation and merely shrugged in response.

Then he looked her over casually and stepped closer,

"The real question...is what do you need?"

Rey shuddered at his proximity and...that voice...did things to her...she couldn't explain.

"What do you mean?"

Kylo stood squarely in front of her and stared slightly down at her, because he was a tower of a being, with a scrunched up face of concentration.

Rey waited but nothing happened and he just kept staring. She tried to just wait and act as if it didn't bother her, but really, it was unnerving.

Rey eventually snapped,

"Stop it!"

Kylo's expression changed ever so slightly, but he remained silent.

Rey tried to be unamused, but she didn't know how real this was and it started to feel absurd! 

Really, some dark prince is in this dingy room being her own personal shadow- it sounded more like the coping mechanisms of a mental breakdown.

And so Rey decided that's what it was, and she began to giggle.

Kylo stared at the strange being in front of him as she fell into a fit of hysterics. It was a bit ridiculous if you asked him, but then again, no one ever did.

Rey began to sputter non-sense about glowing and death and being so over this subtext of macho bravery that is deemed necessary by helpless damsels in distress.

Not like any of it made sense but Kylo lost track, and fankly didn't care, and had suffered her nonsense long enough, so he finally broke their silence,

"Stop it! Get a grip!"

Rey fell quiet then stepped closer to him with way too much confidence for someone who was obviously loosing it. 

"No. You stop it."

"What? Stop what?"

Rey stared at Kylo like he was an idiot and he really couldn't belive that this girl had somehow figured out how to summon him.

He had initially thought she would be something special- she had the glow- and it had been so long since there had been another glow he had longed to be close to it, but this was quickly becoming a very big mistake.

"Stop pretending to be here! You're not real!"

Kylo creased his brow in confusion which seemed to to irritate Rey more as she snapped at him some more,

"Stop it! Stop it- with your mysterious, sexy vibes...and your deep voice...and the ominous looks....this is all a disturbing illusion that I've made up! Kylo Ren isn't real- you're not real!"

There was a lot there for Kylo to take in and he probably should have addressed other things first, but he couldn't help but dumbly reply,

"...you think I'm sexy??..."

Rey rolled her eyes and huffed at him,

"Ugh...could you just....this is ridiculous! I'm a crazy person...you're not real!"

Now Kylo was catching up to what was happening, he couldn't help feeling a little cocky about it and flashed her a shameless smirk.

"You think I'm sexy...that's kind of kinky... I'm like the worst."

Rey covered her face, continuing to speak through her hands,

"Stop. Please. Just go. I can't... I know it's weird, it's just I thought...but it's not...and I don't..."

Kylo almost felt bad for the young woman, she was clearly out of her depths, in a foreign land, just trying to cope.

She was fascinating.

And beautiful. 

Not that Kylo really noticed thise sort of things.

But still. It was almost sad.

He tried to help, in his own sort of way,

"You summoned me, if you want me to go you have to release me....just say the right words."

It came out more gruff than he meant which was apparently the exact wrong way to handle the woman in front of him, because in response she glared at him with an intent to kill,

"Don't you think if I knew the words to get rid of you, I would have said it! This isn't my fault! This stupid power and this stupid place! It's all confusing... and your not helping ....so just....be gone!"

Rey proceeded to make her point by shoving Kylo in the chest which she found to be shockingly firm and very much real.

The unexpected nature of it made Kylo step back and hit the wall behind him with a solid thud that cracked one of the stones, but at least she had gotten the words right.

With his last corporeal breath he whispered,

"As you wish..."

He disappeared back into the darkness he came from leaving a stunned Rey behind to reconsider all she knew to be true in her life.

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes I start a story and I don't know where it is going, but I hope to find it along the way. That is probably the best summary of my experience as a writer. :)


End file.
